Afghan War Casualty Report: June 28-July 4

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A member of the Afghan security forces at the site of the bomb attack on Tuesday.CreditCreditWakil Kohsar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

By Fatima Faizi

July 4, 2019

The following report compiles all significant security incidents confirmed by New York Times reporters throughout Afghanistan from the past seven days. It is necessarily incomplete as many local officials refuse to confirm casualty information. The report includes government claims of insurgent casualty figures, but in most cases these cannot be independently verified by The Times. Similarly, the reports do not include Taliban claims for their attacks on the government unless they can be verified. Both sides routinely inflate casualty totals for their opponents.

At least 264 pro-government forces and 58 civilians were killed in Afghanistan during the past week, the highest death toll of 2019. Attacks by the Taliban spiked around the country as American negotiators met with Taliban officials in the seventh round of peace talks in Doha. In Kabul, a complex Taliban attack including a car-bombing and militant assault killed at least 40 people, badly damaging a private war museum, an adjoining television station and a primary school, hurting dozens of children. In Kandahar, the Taliban launched coordinated attacks in Maruf District center, killing at least 45 security forces and eight election officials.

An Afghan forces Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb in Dawlat Abad District. A soldier was killed and three police officers were wounded.

July 4 Baghlan Province: two civilians killed

An airstrike hit a home in Pul-i-Khumri City, killing two women and wounding three children.

July 4 Ghor Province: one civilian killed

The Taliban attacked an office of the local pro-government-militia in Dawlatyar District, killing one civilian and wounding one another.

July 3 Ghor Province: 15 security forces killed

The Taliban attacked security checkpoints in Saghar District. During the fighting, two police officers and 13 pro-government militia members were killed.

July 3 Jowzjan Province: six N.D.S. officers killed

When the Taliban took Qosh Tepa District, the head of N.D.S. and seven officers fled. The Taliban ambushed them in Darzab District, killing the head of the N.D.S. and five officers, and wounding two others.

July 3 Kunduz Province: one civilian killed

An explosive went off in Kunduz City’s Third Police District, killing one civilian and wounding three others. The bomb was attached to a bike.

July 3 Badghis Province: one soldier killed

An Afghan patrol was moving to relieve an outpost in Bala Murghab District when they were hit by a roadside bomb; one soldier was killed and another was wounded.

July 3 Herat Province: five border forces killed

The Taliban attacked a border-force outpost in Kush-e-Rubatsangi District. Five border forces were killed and four were wounded in an hour of fighting.

July 3 Kunduz Province: one police officer killed

The Taliban attacked a checkpoint in the northern part of Kunduz City, killing one police officer, but the Taliban were pushed back from the area.

July 3 Baghlan Province: six police officers killed

The Taliban attacked Gargarak security outpost in Chashma-E-Shir area of Pul-e-Khumri City, the provincial capital. During the fighting, six police were killed and 12 others were wounded, and the outpost collapsed to the Taliban. Reinforcements were sent, but they were ambushed by the Taliban and five Humvees were destroyed.

July 2 Jowzjan Province: 20 security forces killed

The Taliban captured Qosh Tepa District in Jowzjan, killing 20 security forces, including N.D.S. officers and soldiers. The Taliban attacked the district with more than 130 forces, according to local officials. Most of them fled from the district, leaving behind their weapons.

July 2 Kunduz Province: one pro-government militia member killed

The Taliban attacked a residence in Kunduz City’s Third Police District, killing a police officer who lived there and wounding a guest. The Taliban fighter then fled the area.

July 2 Baghlan Province: one soldier killed

The Taliban ambushed a convoy of the Afghan forces in Baghlan-e-Markazi area along the Baghlan-Kunduz highway. A soldier was killed and three others were wounded.

July 2 Faryab Province: five police officers killed

During a clearing operation in Pashton Kot District, a bomb went off killing five police officers and wounding nine others.

July 2 Paktia Province: two civilians killed

A rocket fired by the Taliban killed two children in Shahrenaw area of Chamkani District. One child is still being treated.

July 2 Takhar Province: one N.D.S. officer killed

The Taliban attacked Taliqan City, where the fighting went on for three days. During the fighting, an N.D.S. officer was killed and two security forces wounded.

July 2 Ghor Province: three soldiers killed

The Taliban attacked an outpost in the Chashma area of Shahrak District. During the fighting, three soldiers were killed and three others were wounded. The Taliban were pushed back from the area.

July 1 Kabul Province: 34 civilians and six security forces killed

A car bomb detonated near Gulbahar Tower in Kabul City, after which attackers entered a defense ministry building, where they were fighting with security forces who had surrounded them. At least 40 people were killed, and 116 people were wounded, 51 of whom were children.

The Taliban attacked Hafiz Bacha village security outpost in Nahrin District, killing two local police officers and wounding three others. Local police eventually pushed back the Taliban.

July 1 Kandahar Province: one civilian killed

A roadside bomb went off near police headquarters, killing one civilian at around 11 a.m. in Kandahar City. The explosive supposed to target officials, but it killed a civilian.

July 1 Jowzjan Province: eight security forces killed

The Taliban attacked Qosh Tepa District last night and fighting continued until 4 a.m. The Taliban captured a security outpost. Five soldiers and three police were killed and 20 others were wounded. The Taliban also cut off the telecommunication networks in the district. Security forces pushed back the Taliban attack, but they have not been run out of the district.

July 1 Badghis Province: six security forces killed

The Taliban attack checkpoints and outposts in Qadis District, killing three soldiers and three police and wounded 10 others. Reinforcements were sent to the district.

July 1 Badghis Province: four security forces killed

The Taliban attacked Afghan forces in Bala Murghab District, killing three soldiers and a police officer and wounding three others. Also during an attack by the Taliban in Aob Kamari District, a pro-government militia member was wounded and a checkpoint fell to the Taliban.

July 1 Faryab Province: two pro-government militia members killed

The Taliban attacked Andkhoi District, killing two pro-government militia members and wounding two border forces.

July 1 Faryab Province: four security forces killed

Fighting between Afghan security forces and the Taliban went on for 10 hours as Taliban fighters pushed the pro-government militia members into the Andkhoi Bazaar. During the clash, two pro-government militia members and two border forces were killed.

July 1 Faryab Province: one soldier killed

During a military operation in Nazir Abad village of Pashtun Kot District, one soldier was killed, and three others were wounded.

June 30 Paktia Province: 21 public protection forces killed

The Taliban attacked a series of check posts and the headquarters of Afghan Public Protection Forces in the Machalgho area of Ahmad Aba District. Twenty-one members of the Afghan Public Protection Forces were killed and 16 more were wounded.

June 30 Paktia Province: five soldiers killed

A group of Taliban attacked an Afghan army outpost in Lwari area of Chamkani District. Five soldiers were killed and three others were wounded.

June 30 Takhar Province: five police officers killed

An Afghan police Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb in Taliqan City that killed five police officers.

June 30 Kunduz Province: 13 security forces killed

The Taliban attacked Qurghan Tepa military base and two checkpoints in Imam Sahib District. During the clashes, eight border soldiers and five local police were killed, eight border soldiers were wounded and 13 border soldiers and three local police officers were arrested by the Taliban. The Taliban captured the military base and two local police checkpoints, but reinforcements were sent to the area.

June 30 Faryab Province: two police officers killed

The Taliban attacked Qaramqul District center. The Taliban captured one outpost near police headquarters. Two police officers were killed and 12 others were wounded.

June 30 Balkh Province: two security forces killed

At midnight, the Taliban attacked Bodana Qala village security outpost in Sholgara District, where fighting continued for three hours. During the clashes, one soldier and one local police officer were killed and three others were wounded. When the Taliban were leaving the area, they were hit by American airstrikes.

June 30 Kunduz Province: one soldier killed

The Taliban attacked a military base in Chaharsari area along Takhar-Kunduz highway. Reinforcements were sent to the area and pushed back them. During two hours of clashes, one soldier was killed and two others were wounded.

June 30 Faryab Province: two security forces killed

More than 100 Taliban members attacked security outposts in Gorziwan District. During two hours of fighting, the district police chief and a commando were killed and two security forces were wounded.

The Taliban conducted an attack on a military base in Maruf District center and then moved to Bato area. The Taliban first rammed a Humvee loaded with explosives into the wall of the base. Fighters then drove a stolen police pickup truck filled with explosives into the base, which was followed by shooting of light and heavy weapons. Forty-five of the 60 police officers inside the base were killed. Eight Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan employees were also reportedly killed.

The Taliban attacked Jar-e-Khoshk village security outpost in Koshenda District at 12:30 a.m. and fighting continued for two hours. Reinforcements were sent to the area and pushed back the Taliban attack. During the clashes, two police officers were killed and two others were wounded.

June 29 Takhar Province: one civilian killed

A local police officer killed a farmer and wounded his brother in Nawabad village of Dashte Qala District after the farmer refused to pay a tax to the local police.

June 29 Farah Province: three soldiers killed

The Taliban ambushed Afghan army forces in Sewan area of Balaboluk District, killing three soldiers and wounding two others.

June 29 Kandahar Province: 14 police officers killed

The Taliban attacked a police checkpoint in the Mulahid village of Takhtapol District. Local officials said that 14 police officers were killed and the checkpoint was overrun by the Taliban. Officials said they have sent an investigation team to find out more about the incident.

June 28 Paktia Province: two police officers killed

The Taliban attacked Kamari checkpoints in the Machalgho area of Ahmad Aba District, killing two civil order police officers and wounding three others.

June 28 Paktia Province: two civilians killed

Afghan forces carried out an operation in the Saro Khail area of Garda Serai District, killing two civilians, according to local officials.

June 28 Helmand Province: one police officer killed

The Taliban attacked one police check post in Nawa District, killing one police officer and wounding one other.

June 28 Helmand Province: one police officer killed

The Taliban attacked a police unit on patrol in Grimser District, killing one officer and wounding two others.

June 28 Sar-e-Pul Province: three pro-government militia members killed

Pro-government militias were ambushed by the Taliban in the Pahlwan Tashi village of Sozma Qala District. During two hours of clashes, three pro-government militia members, including a militia commander, were killed.

June 28 Ghazni Province: four police officers killed

The Taliban attacked Deh Yak District, killing four police officers and wounding two others. The Taliban were pushed back from the district.

June 28 Kunduz Province: one police officer killed

A police officer was killed by the Taliban in Kunduz City’s Second Police District while he was transporting food from one checkpoint to another. The Taliban also seized his weapon.

The Taliban attacked security force checkpoints in Kijran District, killing eight local police officers and wounded 16 other national police, local militia members and local police.

Reporting was contributed by the following New York Times reporters: Jawad Sukhanyar from Kabul, Najim Rahim from Mazar-e-Sharif, Taimoor Shah from Kandahar, Asadullah Timoori from Herat and Farooq Jan Mangal from Khost.